September 28, 2014

Good morning!! It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Want to play along? Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the very end of this post to enter your card. The links will close on Friday at 10 PM (Mountain Time). Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC237 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

The Sweet Sunday Stampers have a ton of inspiration for you today - hop on over and see:

September 21, 2014

Good morning!! It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Want to play along? Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the very end of this post to enter your card. The links will close on Friday at 10 PM (Mountain Time). Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC237 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

I picked up some of the goodies from the new My Favorite Things release and they arrived yesterday - so I couldn't wait to use them! This is Lisa Johnson's new set, Out on a Limb.

I cut out the leaves in 3 different autumn colors and then used the negative of the die cut to use as a stencil for the leaf placement. That was the easiest way for me to place them all; there was absolutely no way I'd remember where they all went.

I used some Fog card stock for the background and then I used the Rectangle Frames Die-namics from MFT for the orange outline.

I stamped the sentiment on a Sentiment Strips Die-namics in Hot Fudge ink and then added the little leaf accents in Tangy Orange. LOVE that Lisa added those mirror image leaves! So brilliant.

That's it for me today. Please do pop over and take a peek at what the rest of the fabulous Sweet Sunday Stampers have whipped up for you this week:

September 15, 2014

I am so beyond thrilled to have been nominated to participate in the Creative Blog Hop by Lisa Henke! Thank you so much for thinking of me, Lisa - as you know, I'm a huge fan of your work and I'm always inspired by you as well!

The Creative Blog Hop is an ongoing blog hop that works as a nominating system; I'll nominate three other designers who inspire me and I admire. The idea behind it is to learn a bit about other creative bloggers by answering four questions.

Question 1: What am I working on right now?

Right now -- you may have noticed -- I am taking a break from stamping regularly so that I can get my craft space back in order and organized. I seem to have outgrown my space and I've been narrowing down my stamp/paper supply to a more manageable size. This process has been great for me and I can't wait to get back into a regular stamping routine again and give new life to some very forgotten stamps and goodies. I am also working on more Sweet Sunday Sketches for you all, which I hope gives me some inspiration as well.

Question 2: How does my work differ from others in my genre?

Well, this is a tough question! I really don't think my work differs from many others in my genre, but maybe you'll disagree. I've always been a less is more stamper, although many of my cards have multiple layers, ribbon, buttons and stitching, but I'm backing away from that now. I think my style has moved back to the way I created when I first started - much by the fact that clean and simple stamping is hot, hot, hot! I have always been a copycat stamper, it's just how I work.

Question 3: Why do I create what I do?

When my kids were much younger, I would stamp after they went to bed as a way to reset myself. Long days of playing on the floor, cutting up food, and wiping tiny hinies burnt me out. Giving myself a creative outlet let me feel like Karen again and not just Mommy. This is how it all started. Now that my kids are older and don't need me as much (except to drive them EVERYWHERE) I can find my creative outlet during the day when they're at school. I'm just in the habit of it now and I don't think I could function without a little stampy time in my week. It breaks up the monotony.

Question 4: How does my creative process work?

My creative process starts with a challenge. I can't seem to just whip something up from something I've pictured in my head. I'll grab a color or a sketch challenge (or both) and then choose a stamp set that fits the sketch.

I am also a GIANT procrastinator! I seem to work well under the pressure of a deadline, but it's not always so ideal for the rest of my family, ha ha! So the majority of the time I am working on one card at a time, start to finish. I think maybe if I could ever get it in my head to be a "stamp ahead" kind of gal, maybe I could work on several cards at one time. Power stamper!

I have loved Lynn's classic style for such a long time. She is definitely the queen of beautiful mixtures of color and patterns and the images she chooses always pop right off the card. She's not afraid to use bright colors or bold patterns, and that always draws me in! I met Lynn in real life a few years ago in Chicago at CHA. She is so kind and warm-hearted! She made the most adorable little paper pad & pen holders to hand out to her "internet" friends, which just blew me away. She is so super sweet and has now gotten me completely hooked on the Outlander series of books, which also has a great deal to do with my lack of stamping lately. I'm pointing fingers. Yep! Ha ha!

Sankari definitely has a style all her own. In one word - striking! The girl is completely addicted to Liquid Pearls, and I can't say I blame her one bit. Sankari adds amazing detail to each project she creates and you can see the love she pours into each one. She is full of sunshine and happiness and I can always rely on her to set me straight when I'm feeling out of sorts. I'm so thrilled we have become real life friends. Funny how a little hobby can bring you together.

Speaking of styles all her own, this girl Jackie can rock the pattern-stamped-flowers! Oh my word. I adore Jackie's sweet style - she has me hooked on kraft paper. She has a knack for taking a simple layout and giving it amazing life with all the pattern detail and texture. She's has quit "patterned paper" cold turkey and makes her own backgrounds and patterns with stamps in her collection. I have to admire that! I'm such a paper hoarder. I met Jackie and Sankari during a CHA show and I love how we all clicked. Jackie, you are such a sweetheart and I'm so happy to call you friend!

There you have it. I proudly pass the nomination baton and I hope you will stop by and say hello to Lynn, Sankari, and Jackie. They are sure to brighten your day!

September 14, 2014

Good morning!! It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Want to play along? Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the very end of this post to enter your card. The links will close on Friday at 10 PM (Mountain Time). Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC236 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

Once again, real life has stepped in the way of stampy life, so I don't have a card just yet. So sorry. You all much think I'm the worst sketch host EVER. You're probably not too far off there, ha ha!

BUT the team is fabulous and has lots for you to look at today! Please stop over and see the Sweet Sunday Stampers:

September 13, 2014

Welcome to Verve's August Release Retrospective Blog Hop! The Verve Divas are hopping today and serving up some more inspiration using the August release stamps & dies! Besides a peek at some really cool cards, there are also a couple of prizes up for grabs!

I picked up this fun new Cupcakes set and I love it! So many great sentiments to choose from as well as several build your own cupcake images too. Super sweet.

I stamped the sentiments in Smoke ink and then built the cupcake in between in Blu Raspberry and Sour Apple inks. For the background there, I used the stripes and dots background from Bountiful Backgrounds and stamped it on the diagonal. The banner across the top is the Pennant Trim Die and then I accented the corner with some sequins from the new Signature Sequin Mix. The layout is this week's MOJO362 and the color combo is Color Throwdown's CTD309.

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We're giving away a $40 gift voucher to one lucky commenter along the hop, so be sure to leave a shout out in the comments as you hop about.

Want another chance to win? Now it's your turn! We'd LOVE to see what you've done with the August release. Link up your cards using at least one product from our August release and you'll be entered in a drawing to win our entire next release!All the details and the linkup widget are on the Verve Blog today. The deadline is October 3, so there's still plenty of time to get the August release if you haven't already.

September 7, 2014

Good morning!! It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Want to play along? Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the very end of this post to enter your card. The links will close on Friday at 10 PM (Mountain Time). Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC235 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

So one of these days I'm going to get my desk cleaned off and organized so that I can function properly. I really wanted to add more to my card, but my dies are all in chaos, so I couldn't find the one I wanted. Anyone else have this issue too? I used a fun sentiments set from Verve called Better Together. I stamped the sentiment in Berrylicious and Smoke inks and then pieced the card together with some Cut & Paste "Adorbs" 6x6 paper from My Mind's Eye.

The sweet Sunday Stampers have more inspiration for you today - please stop by and see: